1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tool for use in loading, maintaining, repairing and otherwise using weapons, in particular muzzle loading guns, which are loaded through the barrel of the gun.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, a powder charge is first poured down the barrel into the muzzle of the gun. Next a projectile, typically a round ball, musket ball, minnie ball, or bullet, is thrust through the barrel into the muzzle. Generally, the ball is wrapped in a greased cloth patch, the ball is tamped partially into the gun barrel, using a ball starter, the patch is trimmed, the land and groove setting rod is used to tamp the ball farther into the barrel, and the ball is thereafter tamped down tightly onto the powder using a ram rod. The gun is then primed and discharged.
In recent years, interest in sporting use of muzzle loading guns has increased. Proper use, loading techniques, adjustment, maintenance and repair of the weapons require that the sportsman carry numerous tools including, at least, a ball and bullet starter; a land and groove setting rod; various powder measures, large and small screwdrivers, a flash hole pick, a nipple port cleaner, various whistles or other signaling devices, a non-marring hammer for removing and replacing pins and connectors, a wedge puller, cloth patches, rod accessories, flints, a nipple wrench, and other items such as a compass, a writing implement, and so forth. Generally, the weight of the aggregation of tools and implements required in the prior art exceeds two pounds.
An example of muzzle loading weapon tools known in the prior art is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,086 to Hasselmann, which describes a muzzle loading ramrod with a ball starter at one end, having the opposite end of the ram rod threaded to engage a screw-jag tool for use in removing a musket ball lodged in the breech of the weapon. That patent does not disclose the concept or structure of the compact, combination apparatus of the present invention. In fact, the Hasselmann patent teaches the practice of the sportsman carrying several screw-jag tools separately with the other separately carried auxiliary equipment carried by the sportsman for use with the weapon. The Hasselmann patent does not describe any solution for the problems encountered in carrying a multiplicity of small, easily lost, cumbersome tools and equipment pieces for the weapon, which problem is resolved by the apparatus of this invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,363,520 to Fish describes a combination tool for cleaning the chamber of a firearm, disassembling the firearm, and removing a ruptured cartridge casing from the firearm chamber. The combination tool includes a brush or scouring implement, a cleaning rod, a screwdriver, a drift pin, and a cartridge extraction tool. The Fish patent describes a highly specialized combination apparatus for use with breech loading firearms, but does not provide any teaching related to a combination tool for use with muzzle loading weapons as disclosed in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,321 to Clement discloses a combination tool for use with cap lock muzzle loading firearms, which tool includes a powder measuring device, a nipple wrench, a cleaning rod for the nipple port, a combination cap holder and spare nipple receptacle, and a decapper device. That patent does not disclose or suggest a tool combining a ball starter assembly housing a plurality of additional weapon tools and does not suggest inclusion of all the weapon tools included in the apparatus of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,747 to Echeberria discloses a tool for muzzle loading weapons including a nipple wrench, a nipple port cleaning pin, extra nipples, a ram rod, and a screwdriver. That patent does not disclose or suggest a muzzle loading weapon tool combining a ball starter assembly housing a plurality of other tools contained within the ball starter body in a compact, smooth housing forming the ball starter and land and groove setting rod assembly which are included in the combination of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,220 to Lofland does not describe a combination tool such as that of the present invention, but does describe a carrying case for storing various items related to the use, repair and maintenance of muzzle loading firearms. The Lofland carrying case has receptacles for a container for gun powder, ball patches and balls, a loading funnel, a ball retrieving device, a patch retrieving device and a hole cleaner pick. Although Lofland indicates that a short starter (or ball starter) and the tools contained in his carrying kit are standard equipment with muzzle loading guns, the Lofland patent does not suggest or describe a combination tool such as the apparatus of this invention in which the ball starter or land and groove setting rod itself provides additional tools and tool functions and a carrying and storing receptacle for other tool members.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,322 to Tice, et al is exemplary of patents which describe a device for storing a single muzzle charge of powder, a single ball and a single percussion cap to facilitate rapid loading of the firearm. That patent, while similar in disclosure and teaching to some portions of the Lofland patent described above, does not suggest or describe the combination, multi-purpose tool of this invention.
The prior art contains patents disclosing various types of screwdriver devices containing a plurality of screwdriver blades, each of which can be inserted in a chuck assembly included as part of the device. Such patents include U.S. Pat. No. 19,901 to Aiken; U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,788 to Corona, et al and U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,173 to Smith, et al. None of those patents suggests or describes either the concept, or specific apparatus or structure, for the combination of a weapon ball starter and land and groove setting rod with the individual, specifically required screwdrivers and other repair, maintenance and use tools included in the present invention. There is nothing in any of those patents to suggest or describe a tool for use with muzzle loading firearms.